POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Introduction Po

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is characterized by the symptoms that follow an extreme trauma. Diagnostic features, associated features, prevalence, course, differential diagnosis, and treatment considerations are discussed.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) involves symptoms that follow exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor. The response to the event needs to involve intense fear, helplessness, or horror, persistent reexperiencing of the trauma, and persistent symptoms of increased arousal. These symptoms must occur for more than one month and the distress must result in distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other functioning. Stimuli associated with the trauma are avoided, this may include thoughts, feelings, conversations, activities, situations, people or any reminders; this avoidance may also include amnesia for aspects of the trauma. Emotional numbing or diminished responsiveness to the external world may begin soon after the trauma. Feelings of detachment and loss of interest may occur. The future may feel foreshortened. Anxiety symptoms were not present prior to the trauma and may include sleep disturbances with nightmares, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, outbursts of anger, and difficulty concentrating (DSM-IV, 1994).

PTSD is diagnostically classified as 309.81 with specifiers of acute, chronic, or delayed onset. Associated feelings include guilt for su

Related Essays

F INCARCERATION and PostTraumatic Stress Disorder EFFECTS OF INCARCERATION ON POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Introduction to the Problem and Research Goals The problem is that the prison population is growing .... (9311 37 )

Characteristics of Heavy Smokers: Analysis of Variance .... research methods and statistics: An integrated introduction for psychology. .... recruited daily smokers with and without posttraumatic stress disorder and panic .... (866 3 )

Research Project on PTSD Patients .... notion about sexual abuse, namely that it results in the formation of posttraumatic stress disorder. .... Educational research: An introduction (2nd ed.) NY: Longman .... (1523 6 )

Trauma-Induced Stress .... The symptoms of the disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), include .... as manifestations of a mental disorder that may .... from trauma-induced stress that may .... (5452 22 )

Effects of Incarceration on PTSD EFFECTS OF INCARCERATION ON POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Introduction to the Problem and Research Goals The problem is that the prison population is growing .... (9327 37 )

midated, with an external locus of control. Recurring thoughts of the event as well as the physical pain involved may occur. Next a stage of cognitive confusion may occur, involving denial or avoidance. Conscious inhibition is an effort to actively inhibit thoughts and feelings about the trauma. Revisiting the cognitive confusion phase may involve revisiting memories and flashbacks to the trauma. Next a stage of therapeutic reassessment wherein attempts are made with the help of a significant other, to reason and reevaluate the trauma; conscious help and support is now realized while passing from the avoidance stage. A last stage includes acceptance and resolution; the victim deals with the issues and comes to an understanding of the significance of the trauma and the coping strategies which allowed the person to deal with it. Pharmacotherapy Treatment & Effectiveness A review of the literature reveals studies regarding pharmacotherapy for the treatment of PTSD. Biological aspects of PTSD are suggested to include long-term neurobiological changes in the brain. Alterations are found in noradrenergic and serotonergic functioning, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, the endogenous opioid system, and the diurna

Category: Psychology - P